The invention generally relates to a 911 emergency voice/data telecommunication network and, more particularly, to providing voice and data from a 911 emergency caller through the network to an appropriate emergency service mobile unit via a 911 dispatch function and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is also amenable to other applications.
The continuing evolution of user devices for voice and data communications has made it possible for audio and video (e.g., individual still frame photographs, sequences of still frame photographs, and motion video) to be captured and communicated to remote locations via compatible telecommunication infrastructures. These various types of user devices may interface, for example, with one or more public telecommunication infrastructure. For example, a cellular telephone infrastructure, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a cable television infrastructure, a satellite communication infrastructure (e.g., satellite television, satellite telephone, etc.), and various types of computer networks, including the Internet.
These various infrastructures typically have a gateway to directly route 911 emergency communications to a 911 network or an indirect means of routing 911 emergency communications through the gateway of another infrastructure. However, the user devices, public telecommunications infrastructures, and 911 network have not been adapted to provide end-to-end audio and video from a 911 emergency caller to an appropriate emergency service mobile unit (e.g., police car radio, police officer radio, fire truck radio, fireman radio, ambulance radio, emergency medical personal radio, etc.).
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, there is motivation for adapting these user devices, public telecommunications infrastructures, and the 911 network to facilitate end-to-end audio and video communication from a 911 emergency caller to an appropriate emergency service mobile device.